There is a hair gray area between curly and straight that many of us
live in, and I'm not talking about wavy hair. This hair conundrum
is more of an awkward mix of curly, straight, and wavy hair growing out
of different parts of your head. Sound familiar? This kind of hair
problem can be something you're born with, or your hair texture and wave
pattern can change over time due to hormones, certain illnesses and
medications. It can be challenging figuring out what to do with
multi-textured hair, but I'm here to help!
When all of the sudden
our hair type and texture changes on us, especially if it is the result
of a health condition or hormonal shift, it can be hard not to get
frustrated. Adjusting is difficult, but once you do it can definitely be
a blessing. My hair went from straight, to curly, to a combination of
both over the course of five years and two pregnancies. Now, my hair is
straight in the back, wavy on the sides and curly (more
like ”waggly”) around my face.
Talk about confusing...
Most of us in this
gray area are unfortunately subjected to either something like
"curly-in-the-back triangle head," or the "curly-in-the-front poodle
mullet." If the visual isn't enough, just trust me; I'm all too familiar
with both of these hair atrocities. My hair has been weirdly
multi-textured since my last pregnancy and it has taken a while to learn
to love it.
What I ask of you is this, lay down your hair weapons, and learn to love your hair just the way it is!
First
thing's first, don’t fight with your hair too much. I find
that it's best to treat your multiple personality hair like
it's all-over curly. Don’t shampoo too often, make sure your hair is moisturized and
don’t mess with it too much. For example, after you have showered,
towel dried your hair and combed through it with your fingers, give your
hair a good scrunching and let it air dry without touching or messing
with it.
If you are unfamiliar with how to treat your curly hair, check out the curl category by How-to Hair Girl. If accepting the fact that you have curly hair is a new concept for you, check out curlynikki.com. Nikki
is a licensed psychotherapist and a naturally curly girl who has a lot
of really helpful information about embracing your 'do. Check out naturallycurly.com while you're at it for a wealth of amazing tips, tricks and advice for curly girls.
As
far as your cut and style goes, what I have found to be helpful is that
hair with an inconsistent wave or curl pattern does best with layers
and removal of excess bulk.
When these two techniques are combined, they result in a general
blending of textures and freeing of that bulky weight, so curly parts
become less poofy and straight parts become more wavy. This makes the
hair appear more consistent throughout, and it happens to be great for
low maintenance styling.
If you have longer hair, and you have
curly hair in the back and straight hair in the front, I would suggest
longer layers with the shortest layers cut in the front and around the
face. If your hair is curly in the front and straighter in the back like
mine, shorter layers in the back and longer layers in the front will
look better. Also, consider getting yourself a Q-Redew steam wand to help inspire your not-so-curly strands. I love mine and can attest to it's magical qualities!
In
closing, be grateful that you get the best of all worlds in a weird
way. Your hair may have multiple personalities, but it's pretty dynamic
if you ask me. If your hair went to a party, it would be the most
interesting thing there!
What questions do you have about your multiple personality hair?
By Roxie Jane Hunt
Hairstyle Tutorials Expert
